NuStar

Artist's drawing of a black hole named Cygnus X-1

A high-powered telescope peers into the dark heart of a black hole

Science

Black holes may be exotic, but they are hardly rare. Every galaxy has one, including ours. But it’s tough to look at and study black holes since their gravitational pull is so powerful light can’t escape from them. But thanks to a new telescope that captures high-energy x-rays, NASA scientists are peering at their edges, confirming Einstein’s theories, and may have gotten the first glimpse of a new kind of black hole.